• Former mayoral candidate Mike Weinstein has qualified to run for the State Rep. Dist. 19 seat. Weinstein, president of Take Stock in Children, has the endorsement of several local organizations and sheriffs. Dick Kravitz, the current Dist. 19 representative, is term-limited and cannot run again.
• Even Shands Jacksonville Medical Center has been affected by the current mortgage crisis. The healthcare provider asked the City to refund a taxable bridge loan for capital improvements by issuing Hospital Revenue Refunding Bonds in the amount of $60 million. According to documents filed with the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission, the request was made “as a result of market disruptions related to certain financial institutions’ exposure to sub-prime debt.” The City of Jacksonville has also recently refunded some City bonds for the same reason.
• A few changes at the Business Journal. Senior reporter Tony Quesada is headed to Austin, Mark Szackony will take over the international and transportation beat, Dave Strupp will take over the sports and education beat and Stewart Verney will cover the military and defense industry.
• In order to protect a number of bird species nesting and foraging in Huguenot Memorial Park, the City has closed 300 feet of beach to vehicular and pedestrian traffic until further notice. Vehicles and pedestrians pose a threat to flightless juvenile birds that have left the dune nests and could make their way to the beach in the posted area. The nesting season begins around April 1 and typically ends before Sept. 1. By the way, if you’re thinking about ignoring the rules, be advised the U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 provides for a fine of $15,000 if you harm or harass the birds.
• If you were wondering why the DuPont Building on the Southbank was being evacuated Friday, it was due to “bring your child to work day.” Just before noon, the fire alarm system was activated when a sprinkler head in the ceiling was shot out with a slingshot. By the time the fire trucks arrived, everyone was out of the building and three floors were flooded causing an estimated $30,000 in damage.
• Sean Mulholland of Mulholland Investigation and Security Consulting returned from a trip to Italy with a new understanding of fuel prices. He said Americans don’t know what high prices are. “After you convert Euros to dollars and liters to gallons, gasoline costs $13 a gallon over there. I guess that’s why you don’t see many cars and everybody rides around on a motorscooter,” reported Mulholland.
• Vintage Props & Jets now has a flight every Saturday between Jacksonville International Airport and Abaco, Bahamas. The 50-passenger Embraer regional jet leaves JIA at 7 a.m. and arrives at Marsh Harbour Resort at 9:25 a.m. after a stop in Daytona Beach. The fare is $299 each way plus all the usual added fees and surcharges. The schedule appears to be popular because Saturday’s flight, the second week it has been offered, was sold out as of Tuesday morning according to the company’s Web site, www.vpj.com.
• This year’s Carrabba’s Summer Beach Run is set for Aug. 23. The five-mile race starts at 7 p.m. and begins and ends in front of the Seawalk Pavilion.
• Jacksonville Sister Cities International will be recognized by the national Sister Cities International during the organization’s annual conference July 18 in Kansas City. Jacksonville is getting the “Innovation: Arts & Culture Award for population greater than 500,000.”
• It’s a ways off, but the folks at Cathedral Arts Project have set a lofty goal for next year’s Spring in the Arts fundraiser. After raising $302,00 last year, the organization is looking to raise $350,000 next March. And, they’ll have help. Preston Haskell and his wife Joan are chairing the event which will feature wines from Fidelity National Chairman Bill Foley’s California vineyard. The event is March 20 at Deerwood Country Club.